Pleasure After Pain : Returning to Rowing Post-Injury

 

 

 

I walk into the boathouse slowly. My body is buzzing with a mix of fear and excitement. It has been about two years since I got into the boat since my injury. The instructor Doug introduces  himself and asks if I have ever rowed before. I hesitate then tell him my story. He said he has also had a neck injury and is confident I can return to rowing again.  

 

We begin with some instruction on the erg [rowing machine]. I strap my feet in and lean forward to grab the handle. I scrunch my body forward , arms straight. I then push back with my legs , lean back and pull with my arms. I push my arms forward before letting my legs come back forward, the seat sliding to the front . 

 

Doug stops me mid-stroke to remind me to keep tension in the hamstrings. He explains that to keep stability in the hips I need to turn my heels slightly towards each other - balls of the feet away - softly on the recovery and aggressively on the drive. He says it looks like I am not pressing as hard on my right foot. When I explained I broke my right foot a few months ago he nods and says that would explain it.  Doug reminds me to sit up straight and  to look straight ahead , not down at my hands.

 

We flip over a boat and carry it  out to the water . Doug shows me how to screw  the oars to into the oar locks to secure them. I hold both oar handles to steady the boat as I get in .I roll my seat forward as I “feather” the blade by flattening it on the water. I scrunch my body forward until I am holding the oar handles  still between my stomach and knees. My left hand is over my right and my grip is loose on the oar. I then “ square” the blades so that they are dipping straight into the water. I look up towards the front of the boat and pull . The long paddles crash into the water, pull the water and boat  forward and then skip flat along the water on the return. The sun  reflects like a million tiny diamonds on the water. My muscles feel warm and I am falling into the rowing rhythm quickly. As John Dryden said ," Sweet is pleasure after pain."

I am moving backwards and have to look over my shoulder after about 5 strokes. I see the dock behind me and square my blade to hold water so I can begin to turn around . I realize I waited too long to turn and am soon backed into the dock pilings. Doug notices me and screams out to feather my left blade and row with the right to get out. After  a few minutes of figuring out the turn , I am out and paddle back to the beach. 

 

Doug tells me another coach offered to go over to over in a boat to rescue me but he told them I would not need any help. Sculling is very different than other types of paddling I have done. With dragon boating or sweep boating there have always been other paddlers in the boat. Now it was only me. Doug showed me I would be just fine on my own. He had faith in me so I did too. The boat was also now going backward but I was getting more comfortable with each  time I launched.  

We next take out a double and Doug sits behind me to further work on stroke mechanics, backing up , and turning. We pull the boat ashore and lift it on our shoulders to carry up to the boat racks. I look at the boat. It is gray and in yellow letters says “ I CAN , I WILL”. I smile.

 

 The journey back into the boat has been long and hard but I have come back with a new appreciation for my time on the water. It is my release , my solace , and where I belong.  In rowing , we face backwards in order to see how far we have come instead of how far we have to go.

One Foot In Front of The Other : Musings From My Time in a Walking Boot

thoughts along my journey healing a seismoid injury after 10 weeks in a walking boot :

26 bones . 1/3 of all the bones in the human body are in the foot/ankle... and these tiny bones along with 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, support the weight of our entire body. I have become a student hungry for knowledge about how the body works and the amazing ways it can heal itself. 

There has been a lot of sitting these past two weeks. When I feel frustrated I remind myself this is temporary. Now is the time to work on my creative projects , to learn to quiet the busy highway of my mind, and to learn to let others help me. I am on the mend and in the meantime I can learn to adjust. After all, broken crayons still color.

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This weekend I got picked up (people offer to drive you around when your foot is broken and you are in a walking boot) to join friends at the bar. I sat sipping my beer watching the country line dancing on the dance floor. I admired the boots moving so swiftly ; legs crossing , feet stomping , and heels scuffing against the floor. 

When an easier song came on I couldn’t resist and joined everyone . It may have not been the smartest decision but it breathed some life back into me to move. My foot felt swollen the next day. 

Sometimes we just need to make a decision and decide to get out there on the dance floor , even if we are unsure if we are ready or not. Life is a line dance .. a few steps forward , a few back , and then a few forward once again. Enjoy the dance.

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“You need to walk more on your foot or you will get weak. “

“You are walking on it too soon, you are going to hurt yourself. “

There are lots of opinions ,which I will listen to ,but at the of the day my healing is on my schedule and up to me. I am taking some *careful * steps. I am listening closely to what my body says and taking directions from there. I will hopefully remember to keep listening to its whispers so next time I don’t need to wait till it screams.

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Phase : Rebuilding

As I took my first walk outside without the boot my first steps were timid. My mom looked at me anxiously “ you can do it !” My right leg felt like jelly. My knee ached. My hip felt out of place. But I put one foot in front of the other till the pain flared up. 5 minutes. But 5 minutes MORE than yesterday. I will measure in progress gained instead of how far I have yet to come. I will turn the pain into power.

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Moving On Up : What I Learned From Moving Once Per Year for the Past 8 years

When recently looking for a new place to live, I told my realtor my top needs were safety and a quiet area. After dealing with an apartment getting broken into and being waken up many times a night by a train at another complex,  I learned the importance of these things the hard way.

Things to consider when looking for your next community :

1) How close will you be to your job ? Will you have easy access to a highway? Will you have a longer commute and/or more traffic to work or other places you go often ? If you can, drive the commute during rush hour. What you think is a short distance may be a much longer drive with traffic.

2) Besides rent price also check if any utilities are included i.e. cable , gas , electric , trash removal? Will you need to purchase anything extra like renters insurance or HOA (home owners association)fees?

3) What is the cost up front ? Most places require first and last months rent and security deposit. Is there an application fee ? Will you get the application fee back if not approved?

4) Find out what crimes have occurred in the area . Search the county or city website or ask local law enforcement.Try to visit the area both during the day and at night. Is the complex well-lit?

5) What is the noise level ? Make sure you check the community for proximity to railroads , airports , etc. it may also make a difference where in the complex you are. If you are only shown a model unit make sure you also drive over to the actual unit you to see where in the complex it is.

6) What are requirements to live there ? Do you need an interview with the HOA board ? Is section 8 allowed in your complex ?

7) Is there adequate parking for all members of the household and guests?

8) Are you renting from a individual or a complex? There are pros and cons of both options. A private landlord may be more apt to negotiate on items like rent price.  Renting from a complex, however, usually has a designated maintenance team to ensure items are taken care of promptly.

9) Is there a clause that allows you the ability to leave if needed? No one signs a contract expecting to not fulfill it but life happens and you may unexpectedly need to move. If it is not included ask that a clause be added to allow a fee if the lease needs to be broken.

10)  Are there items that need to be done to make home move-in ready? Have you confirmed all appliances work?  Wait until these items are complete/fixed before signing a lease.

This list may seem like a lot of work but it is time well-spent when determining the place you will call home. Your home should be the place you can come home to at the end of the day and feel relaxed, safe, and comfortable. Buying a home is not the best option for everyone . Having someone else responsible for taking care of the home can reduce stress. If you are not sure if you will stay in the area long-term, renting gives you flexibility. Renting a home or apartment can be a wonderful experience if you chose wisely.